


The Prodigy

by HelloStarTea



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-03-26 20:14:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13865193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelloStarTea/pseuds/HelloStarTea
Summary: The untold stories of a former loser's trials in teaching an unparalleled genius of the Hyuuga clan.





	1. Kakashi's Warning

"Yo, Gai! You made it!"

I waved, pushing the hanging aside to enter the bar from which my friends had greeted me. "Hey, Kakashi! Asuma! How's life?"

"Same as always," Kakashi slapped me on the back as I took a seat next to him. "Heard you just got off a mission."

"Psh! Mission! It was barely a workout." And it certainly had been. Delivering messages was a poor excuse for a mission. It was genin work, but times were peaceful and honest-to-goodness, rightful shinobi work was not necessary or easy to come by.

Asuma laughed, a laugh as vibrant and youthful as he was. "You take life too seriously, Gai! These easy times aren't going to last!"

Kakashi lifted his glass lightly and waved it, stating, "Here's to hoping."

"Kakashi! That's a terrible thing to say!" I scolded. "We should always pray and hope for times of peace!"

"And we do, but no one should have too much of a good thing," Kakashi waved down the bartender and turned to me. "What're you drinking, Gai? Domestic?"

I waved the suggestion away politely. "I'll pass."

Kakashi stared as if he had not heard me. "Import? That's not like you."

"No, rival. I'm passing altogether."

Asuma leaned over to stare at me, as well. "Why?"

My lips curled until I was practically beaming. How could I keep such amazing and wonderful news to myself? I was just dying to tell absolutely everyone, so with a smile as wide as a mile, I announced loudly and proudly: "I'm getting kids!"

"With what woman!"

I shot Kakashi a nasty look. "You know what I mean, Kakashi. The Academy is about to graduate a powerful and elite class and I want in on all that raw youth!"

Asuma chuckled, raising his glass to his lips. "Already, Gai? You've still got a bit of youth in you yourself."

"More than a bit, Asuma! But all that youth comes with its follies and I've got to keep those in check, starting with my bad habits!"

"You don't even have these kids yet," Kakashi murmured absently, rolling his eyes. "And why drinking? You're a grown man. It's your right to drink. Why not give up something easier, like women?"

I scoffed lightly. "Kakashi, I already respect women and do not sleep around with too many-"

"More like any."

"-Women are not my problem! But, what if my students see me drinking and decide they want to follow sensei's example? They'll start drinking underage and the next thing you know, they'll be robbing little old ladies to pay for drug addictions!"

"That's a little over-dramatic, Gai-"

"It is unacceptable and I will not be responsible for that. I also won't be responsible for things like foul language, smoking, pornography or any such unsavory acts- no offense, Asuma."

Asuma took out his pack of cigarettes and tapped one out. "None taken."

"What about me? I'm a little offended by the pornography comment."

"I do not condone your filthy smut books, rival."

"They're romance novels."

"They most certainly are not."

Kakashi shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I guess it's a noble and self-sacrificing task anyway, so why not start early?"

"Precisely, Kakashi! I'm glad you see it my way!" Then I remembered something very important and my grin immediately disappeared. "Why have I not heard anything about your team yet, rival? You did sign up for a team, didn't you? You made a promise that you would do it with me."

Kakashi rolled his eyes absently, swirling the sake around in his glass. "Yeah… well, my application was late and there was this cat-"

"Like hell, rival. Be serious. Did you skip out on your promise to me? We agreed we would do this together!"

Kakashi set his glass down and put his hands up disarmingly. "Alright, alright. I'll admit it. I didn't do it. It wasn't because I didn't want to, Gai. I just don't think I could handle it if… well, you know."

I leaned forward expectantly. "If what? If you are worried about failing, I assure you that you are most capable and that you would be an excellent teacher, even if you are rough around the edges as a role model!"

"Oh no, no, no. It's not that. It's just that…" Kakashi shuddered, turning to Asuma. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you, Asuma?"

Asuma nodded solemnly. "Yeah. I know. That's why I didn't go for it this year either."

"What? What?!" I implored insistently. "Why didn't you guys get teams this year? What are you so worried about?"

"You really don't know, Gai?" Kakashi looked around, exchanged an uneasy glance with Asuma, then leaned in and whispered, "They're graduating Neji Hyuuga this year."

"Neji Hyuuga?" I thought back, thinking of the child that was being praised as a prodigy and a powerful son of the Hyuuga clan. I shrugged. "So?"

"So?" Kakashi sounded surprised, confused even. "Gai, I'd be a little more concerned if I were you."

I shrugged. "Why? He's just a child."

Kakashi looked over to Asuma, who shook his head as if he pitied me. Kakashi turned back and his voice dropped to a foreboding whisper. "That's the thing, Gai. He's not just a kid. Hell, he's might not even be human."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh please, Kakashi. Now whose being dramatic?"

Kakashi shook his head, never taking his eyes off me. "You don't get it, Gai. Haven't you heard? At least five of his teachers quit."

"I heard he made one of them wet himself," Asuma chimed.

I frowned suspiciously, but I could feel my heard beginning to race. "I've never heard of such instances. All I have heard is that he is truly a genius."

"Psh, an evil genius. I've heard from Iruka that his Byakugan is so powerful, it can see into your very soul and read your greatest fears and weaknesses; and he's not shy about letting you know it. One of those teachers ended up killing herself."

"Suicide rate in students went up when he entered, too," Asuma added. "Apparently it's not so fun being his classmate either."

"They're all afraid to spar with him and with the suicide rate being what it is, it makes you wonder if they're actually killing themselves…"

My heart leapt. "What? Kakashi! Don't say such things!"

"Didn't you wonder why they were graduating such a small class this year?"

"I… I figured they just had a lot of dropouts…" Now that I thought about it, every time I visited the Academy in the months before there had been less and less students and the graduating class was now just nine or ten individuals.

"Apparently this kid's already mastered the Gentle Fist."

"That's impossible-!"

"I'm telling you, Gai," Kakashi warned softly, eyeing me with his good eye. "You'd best do everything in your power to make sure you don't end up with this kid."

"How…" My voice broke. I cleared my throat. "How do you know all this? The Academy teachers are horrible gossips! They blow things way out of proportion all the time!"

"The Hyuuga are the worst gossips in the village, but you wouldn't doubt their knowledge," Kakashi retorted firmly. He picked up his glass again. "Besides… they're scared of him, too."

I could not stop myself from swallowing nervously. "How… how do you know?"

"I've seen the way they look at him. I delivered a message to one of their elders and I saw several of them step out of his way. It's a fact, Gai, that Hyuugas don't move aside for anyone."

I felt a tremor go down my legs. I glanced over to Asuma, who was nodding in somber agreement. My hands began shaking. "I don't believe you. Either of you. The Hokage would never-"

"Gai, that kid is going to be a great ninja one day. It's in the Hokage's best interest to keep him around. At least… until he snaps, but by then…" Kakashi paused and gave a little shudder. "Who knows?"

The shaking got worse until I could feel it in my jaw. I clenched my teeth to keep them from chattering. Surely…! Surely…!

Kakashi shrugged and suddenly cheered up, downing his glass of sake and taking a generous refill. "Well, no worries, Gai! I'm sure you'll be okay. Right, Asuma?"

"Naturally," Asuma grinned and reached around Kakashi to give me a fond pat on the shoulder. "I'm sure you can handle whatever the Hokage throws at you."

I was still clenching my teeth, so all I could do was nod. I slid out of my seat carefully.

"Aw, where are you going, Gai?" Kakashi complained. "The night's still young!"

I shook my head. "T… training. You're right. The night is indeed still young!"

I waved a fast goodbye and made a beeline to the training grounds where I fully intended to train the thoughts of this horrifying child out of my head. I heard Kakashi and Asuma's laughter echo in my head for most of the way.


	2. Form! Team Gai!

I woke up two or so months later to a wonderful 4 AM alarm, unable to hold in my excitement any longer. Today was the big day. I had much to do before the Hokage arrived at his office that morning. I had to get dressed, eat, shower and get all my morning training in so that I would not miss a second of the glorious day.

Oh, there was so much to do and such little time to do it in! Once I had the names of my youthful little charges, I would have a mere three days to prepare myself mentally and physically for their special arrival. What little time! What precious little time!

I got all my morning activities done in record time, a feat I am proud of to this day. Three hundred laps, two hundred sit-ups, two hundred push-ups and a hundred reps with my weight set (an admittedly light work-out. I do not believe in straining oneself before breakfast). I was drenched in the youthful sweat of my achievement, but I could not think of anything else except my excitement. I just could not wait any longer! At 6:17, I decided to forgo my shower until I returned with my new team, grabbed a box of cereal and ran all the way up to the Hokage's office to wait for him.

When I arrived, I was still too early. I could not sit still, though. Energy was pulsing through my body. I ran the length of the building, up and down stairs, on my feet, on my hands, backwards and forwards. By 6:45, I was merely pacing in front of the Hokage's office, eating my cereal. It was in this time that I wondered what my new team would be like.

I certainly hoped that youthful Lee kid was one of them! I had met the little rascal about a year back and had been inspired to teach by his struggle for success. I had heard rumors that the kid had ended up dropping out of the Academy- through no lack of trying!- and I had put in a special request. I certainly believed it to have been quite convincing. I wanted to get to know this kid, to be there for him- when he needed me, when he failed and when he succeeded. I was sure the Hokage would never deny such a heartfelt request!

As for the others, I just hoped they would like me. I was by no means unlikeable and I definitely tried to be as kind and friendly as I could be, but I did not click with people right away and such a thing was important with children! While I had never heard of a teacher being completely incompatible with their students, there was certainly a first for everything and I did not want to be  _that_  teacher. The Hokage was famous for his ability to match students with the teacher best suited to each of their individual needs, but… I was a little harder than most to find 'compatible'. That was just how it was.

I heard the Hokage's footsteps and it brought me out of my thoughts immediately. Absolute joy rushed over me and I charged him, almost shoving him right back down the stairs. "Hokage-sama! They're ready, right?! The results? You're ready! Ca-!"

The Hokage just laughed lightly and waved me away, scooting his way around. "Yes, yes, Gai, they're ready. I knew you'd be here, so I have yours waiting on my desk. Have you been here all night?"

"Of course not. That'd be ridiculous!" I replied, watching anxiously as the Hokage fished the key to the door out of his robe. God, it took an eternity! It was as if time itself was against me as that key just dragged from his sleeve, slid slowly into the lock and just struggled to push the tumblers inside.

I heard the click and slammed the door open. I was giddy with excitement as I ran inside and starting going through the scrolls on his desk, looking for the one with my name on it. "Hokage-sama, tell me they're amazing! No, don't tell me! I want to read about them. No, I can't wait. Tell me! Tell me! No! I'll meet them! God, I want to meet them-!"

"You will, you will, Gai," The Hokage laughed, easing himself down into his chair. "I've never met a man so eager to teach."

"Of course! Getting to share the wisdom of my experience and fuel the fire of the new generation will be the exciting new chapter of my life! Now which one of these is it?!"

"Right here," The Hokage lifted a small scroll from his desk and handed it to me. "I think you'll be most plea-"

I grabbed the scroll and threw it open so quickly, half of it skidded across the floor. I read as quickly as I could, eager to find out which lucky students I had been blessed with.

Tenten, female, age 12. Skilled in accuracy, observance and taijutsu. Strong-willed and clever, with a laundry list of disciplinary reports. A wonderful and gorgeous young flower to add to my team!

My heart skipped a beat. Rock Lee! The Hokage had granted my request! How amazingly wonderful! My excitement overwhelmed me. There was no way my team could get any better! My youthfully diligent Lee, my clever and powerful little Tenten! Who could possibly be awesome enough to complete the three-man team that was Team 9-

Then my heard stopped all together.

My jaw dropped.

The final member of my team… was Neji Hyuuga.

"Gai? Is something wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

I tried to say something, but nothing would come out. I was trembling. The scroll was shaking so badly in my hands that I could no longer read it. His name was dancing, almost coming off the page. I stuttered, shaking my head. "H-Hokage-sama! This-! This can't be right!"

The Hokage's eyebrows rose. "What do you mean? I thought you would be pleased. They're all focused on taijutsu and seem keen on honing their skills-"

"No, no! I am so pleased in that aspect, but…! I…! Why?! Why him?!"

The Hokage looked very surprised. "Him? Certainly you don't mean Rock Lee?"

"Of course not! I could not be happier! I mean why… why Neji?"

The Hokage stared at me for a moment, then his face grew soft with understanding. "I understand it is daunting to take on such a highly acclaimed child, but you'll be fine. There is no doubt in my mind that there is no one better to teach him."

I glanced at the paper and back up several times. Acclaimed was not the word I would have used. Feared would have been much closer. I shook my head. "Are you sure…?"

"Absolutely."

I could not handle this! This just could not be! "S-surely-?"

"My decision is final, Gai," The Hokage interrupted calmly.

"Hokage-sama… I don't know…"

"Gai," The Hokage leaned forward in his desk and set his folded hands on the table. "If I did not believe you fit for teaching, I would not have appointed you as a teacher. If I believed for a second that any of these children would not benefit and succeed under your care, I would never have placed them there. Trust me to know what I'm doing."

Being chastised by the Hokage was not easy and I wanted more than anything to believe him, but I already believed Kakashi and I could not believe both. I could not even speak. I just nodded as I rolled up the scroll and tucked it into my pocket. I bowed in silence and left the office.

I walked back home in a daze. In three days… I would be put face-to-face with a child that- before his twelfth birthday- had terrorized his chunin-level teachers, killed his classmates and struck fear into the hearts of the great Hyuuga clan. God knew what he would do to me, say to me. I did not even know my worst fear, my greatest weaknesses. I was not sure I could face them, especially from the mouth of a- of this… this… child!

Regardless, I did my best to suck it up and prepare to the best of my abilities. I arranged a permanent training grounds, where I could train my students every day from dawn to dusk if we so chose. I made several large purchases, including a variety of weapons numbering in the hundreds, three set of heavy ankle weights and several youth-sized versions of my own special, custom-ordered suit. Those three days went by in a whirlwind and the biggest day of my life came upon me like a pouncing lion.

I was hardly even ready for it. I walked to the Academy with the feelings of a man walking to his execution. I could not believe that I was so frightened of a child I had yet to meet, but Kakashi had done his best on me. My legs were shaking as I climbed the stairs, my hand trembled as it touched the door handle. I closed my eyes, bracing myself and just took a deep breath. I could do this! I had fought in a war, gone on many dangerous missions, stared into the eyes of death. These were children. This was a child. This was nothing.

I twisted the handle and pushed the door open, stepping out onto the balcony. This was the first look I had of my youthful new team and it is something I will never forget.

"Gai-sensei!"

Ah, that was my precious Rock Lee! His face had lit up with radiant energy the moment I stepped through the door and it only seemed to brighten more the longer he basked in my presence. I could hardly help a smile. Such excitement and youthful wonder in the eyes of a child made my heart swell and I felt the tremors in my limbs cease. How he had grown in the past year!

My eyes moved on to the beautiful flower of my team- my little Tenten- just as her eyes shifted from Lee to me. She certainly did not look thrilled, but her brown eyes flickered over me as if she were assessing me as a target.

I could feel those eyes before I even met them and my heart quailed before I dared to shift my gaze over. Those deathly white eyes seized my own and locked. Those eyes did not flicker as Tenten's had, were not bright nor excited like Lee's. Even the haughty arrogance in his face did not extend into them. They were blank, fathomless, full of a deep something yet void of emotion. They narrowed suddenly, as if focusing down to a single thought within my brain and for a moment, I thought he was reading my mind. Then, they closed bitterly and I was freed. I tried to shake the feeling of dread the way it was shaking me, turning back to my team with a mask of confidence. "Alright! How are you all?"

I received an enthusiastic "Fantastic!" from Lee, a murmured "Alright." from Tenten and no response at all from Neji. I chuckled lightly. "Excellent. You know by now that my name is Maito Gai and I am going to be your sensei for the next few years."

Lee looked like the excitement would be too much for him, but the statement drew no strong feelings in the others.

I began to feel awkward in the face of these children who were expecting so much from me, but I kept pushing my fake confidence, hoping to get them to open up. "So, as your new teacher, I want to know about you guys. Name, fighting style, what you expect to learn and at least one thing you want me to know about you."

Lee's hand went up so fast he nearly fell off his seat. "Sensei!"

I chuckled lightly, waving towards him. "Yes?"

"Yes! My name is Rock Lee! My fighting style is strictly taijutsu! I expect to learn great things from you, sensei, like how to become a great ninja in the face of opposition! I want you to know that I am going to succeed in my goals no matter what, regardless of what I have to pay to achieve them!"

His determination did not surprise me, although the pride I felt for him was overwhelming. My face was nothing but a dumb grin when I replied, "Excellent, Lee! A wonderful and youthful example of the kind of enthusiasm I expect from you guys! Now…?"

Tenten raised her hand, arm fully extended. "Tenten. I use taijutsu, too. I expect to learn how to be a better shinobi. That's why I was put here, right? And I want you to know that I'm just as capable as these two and I want to be taught on the same level, despite the fact that I'm a girl."

Regardless of her hesitation, her expectations were quite clear and surprisingly enough, I was relieved. "Tenten, it is delightful and refreshing to see that the Academy can still graduate such strong girls!"

Tenten scoffed sarcastically, leaning down to rest her chin on her hand. "I'm one of a kind, sensei."

I laughed. Her sense of humor would be welcome. Confident in how things were going, I turned to my more stoic student and tentatively asked, "Neji…?"

The boy looked at me with an expression of absolute loathing. "Neji Hyuuga. Gentle Fist. I expect to learn nothing from you. That's all you should need to know."

My god, that voice. Never in a million years would I think a child could or should sound like that. It sent a cold shiver down my spine, one that I could hardly hide, and turned my insides to jelly. Worse, there was no doubt he believed what he said and that was daunting.

"What about you, sensei?"

I turned curiously, grateful to hear a more youthful voice.

Tenten tilted her head. "What's your style? What do we need to know?"

My little flower was so inquisitive! I placed my hands on my hips and grinned, shoving my nerves back down in favor of my favorite topics. "Luckily for you all, I excel in taijutsu! There are no substitutions. Real ninjitsu is based in the body and the heart, not in chakra and trickery! I expect to learn your goals and desires over the course of your time with me and make them realities. Know that I expect great things from you as well, and that my goal is to bring those great things out!"

I saw the spark of hope flash in Tenten's eyes. I knew I had said what she wanted to hear. My smile grew bigger. "But, that's my goal. I want to hear yours. What are your beliefs? What are your reasons for being shinobi?"

Tenten's hand was up first this time. "I want to be a great and powerful ninja so I can walk in the footsteps of the legendary kunoichi, Tsunade-sama, because I want to be an amazing female ninja, too!"

The way she beamed with pride made me teary-eyed. I put it in the back of my mind to research Tsunade in depth when the day was done, to better strive for Tenten's lofty goal. I looked over to see Lee's eyes shining in admiration. I turned to Neji and he looked disgusted with her. I frowned. "Neji?"

Those eyes narrowed and turned away. My frown deepened, but such a blatant disregard for personal goals inspired a youthful outburst from my precious Lee, whose hand shot up with an excited cry. "Gai-sensei! I want to show I can be a splendid ninja, as well! Even if I do not have ninjutsu or genjutsu! That means everything to me!"

I smiled, feeling the tears really start. Such fiery passion, such single-minded enthusiasm! How could I not aim for that understandable goal-!

Then I heard it.

A short, humorless laugh that sent ice cold shivers down my spine. Lee surged from his seat, rounding viciously on the source. "Just what is so funny!"

Those cold eyes slid over to Lee and Neji's lips were curled in a condescending smirk. "Your goals are laughable. A shinobi without ninjutsu is useless. You are destined to be a failure until the day you die," Those eyes narrowed and that smirk twitched mercilessly. "And you will reach that point faster than you can imagine."

His cold voice resonated with finality, as if these things were inevitable, as if he were cursing Lee personally. Lee sputtered, choking on righteous fury. While my heart ached for Lee's dreams, the bitterness between the two seemed… right.

I forced a laugh, slapping a hand on Lee's shoulder. "A healthy rivalry is good for the body, Lee! You two will be each others greatest assets, you'll see."

Those cold eyes narrowed viciously, as if Neji was both insulted and disgusted by the very idea. Starting such a strong rivalry- of pitting loser against genius- made my heart long for my days of youth. Such energy and extraordinary goals made my heart race and the blood rush in my ears. Even Neji's lack of respect and enthusiasm for me could not turn that familiar feeling away. I was eager to get my students out into the world, to start their training immediately. I was pumped! "Alright! Let's get out there and train!"

"Already?" Tenten inquired disbelievingly.

"What better time than the present, Tenten? No better way to get to know someone than by interacting!" I charged her, making her squeal and duck. I vaulted over the railing and landed neatly on the ground three stories down. I looked up and found my students glancing over the railing. I gestured them down.

Tenten sputtered. "S-sensei! I'm not jumping off a balcony!"

"Yosh!" Lee threw himself over the railing with abandon, landing gracelessly and tumbling a little to break his fall. He stood up, a little shaken, but completely alright. He grinned expectantly up at me.

I slapped him on the back and looked up at the other two. "Come on! No fear!"

"Sensei, you're ridiculous!" Tenten yelled. "You're going to get us ki-"

Neji jumped the railing. He stuck his landing with the grace of a cat. He did not look at me or Lee for approval. He did not even look up for Tenten. Tenten shrunk down and I could see her muttering to herself. She was shaking her head with a sigh when she stepped onto the railing. She closed her eyes and jumped. She landed on her feet, staggering forward and nearly falling on her face. Lee caught her and pushed her back onto her feet. She awkwardly thanked him, crossing her arms. She was shaking.

I slapped her enthusiastically on the back. "Atta girl! That's the spirit! Now come on! You're going to love our training grounds!"

"Our?"

"Our! I've reserved it permanently, so it'll be like a second home! Come on! I'll show you!" I grabbed her hand and made a fast beeline towards the training grounds, dragging my complaining little flower behind me the whole way. Lee struggled to keep up, but reveled in the challenge. I was unsure of where Neji was, but I trusted that he was following me as well.

We arrived at the gates of our training grounds and my team was breathless. While they caught their wind, I fished the three keys I had made out of my vest pocket. I presented each of my students with one, stating, "These are the keys to this training area and you three are the only ones- besides me, of course- that have them. Don't lose them! They'll allow you a place to train whenever you please, even when I'm away on missions!"

My team had various levels of respect for their new possessions. Lee looked as if he had received the key to heaven and held it in his hands like it was made of glass. Tenten closed her hand around it and peeked around me to try and see what she had access to. Neji had put the key in his pocket without a second glance.

Taking the initiative, I unlocked the gate and pushed it open. Tenten rushed around me, looking around curiously and excitedly at the expansive training field. I saw her finger her kunai holster eagerly, practically licking her lips. Lee took a more reverent approach, looking around in awe as if he had stepped into a church. Surely, he had never seen such a place, as I had easily outdone the Academy's taijutsu training facilities by far. He was not far behind Tenten in his enthusiasm, though. A quick glance at Neji showed he was simply not impressed.

But, my other students were ready to go and I had to cater to that youthful vigor. I jogged out into the training field and took up a quick stance. "Alright, team! Before we do anything, I wanna see what you've got! I want you to come at me like the enemy! I want you to give it your all!"

Tenten and Lee exchanged unsure glances. Neji cocked an eyebrow. I teasingly beckoned them forward. "Come on, guys! I want to see what I'm working with!"

The three stood there for a moment before Tenten carefully drew back to a comfortable distance and unhooked her kunai pouch. Her face grew hard and her eyes dared me to come at her. I grinned.

 _"Hah!"_  Emboldened, Lee rushed me in an obvious charge. I turned his fist away easily and knocked him off his feet. Tenten took the opening to throw three kunai with deadly precision. I drew my own and deflected them, just as Tenten came rushing in to try to nail me. I sent my kunai hurtling towards her, catching her pink shirt and tearing it at the shoulder. It scared her just enough to cause her to change her path. She skidded to a halt at a further distance, drawing more kunai and awaiting another chance. I followed her lead and took another knife in my hand, glancing over. Neji had not moved. He was just watching.

Lee surged at me again and I parried several decent strikes to my face and body. I opened my fist and hit him in the chest, tossing him away. I heard five shuriken and I blocked each of them, looking expectantly from their direction. However, I felt Tenten's presence behind me and turned just in time to catch her wrist and turn away the kunai aimed at my back. I flipped her, throwing her bodily over to where Lee was struggling to get up.

Then, there was a cold rush like a ghost had passed by me. I turned sharply, just in time to see the white eyes of a demon and the mere blur of a hand. It was like being electrocuted. I felt the chakra surge my system and a warm sensation in my throat. I staggered, trying to stay on my feet as my legs turned to jelly.

"Sensei? Sensei!" I could hear Lee's voice, but it was far away. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah! Of course!" I tasted something metallic, and I swallowed it. "I underestimated you guys! You're pretty good!"

"S-sensei?" Tenten's voice was filtering through increasing white noise. "Y-you're bleeding."

"What? Nonsense-" Then I saw the crimson dots hit the ground. I reached up to wipe my nose, but my hand didn't come up.

That could not be good.

"Not to worry. Sensei has seen worse! I just need some tissues. Maybe a quick visit to the doctor, get this all cleared up." My heart skipped a beat, and I swallowed. "Come on, kiddos! I think I run around the town will do us some good!"

Through blurry eyes, I could see Lee and Tenten exchange looks of concern. Through blurry eyes, I could see Neji's face.

He almost looked disappointed.


	3. Concerns

My team and I made it to the hospital alright, but the staff did not share my inclination not to worry my new students. They carted me off immediately, and I had no chance at all to tell my precious little charges not to fuss about me. I was put into a bitterly familiar room while residents came in and out with their usual poking, prodding, chastising and all of the uncomfortable medical techniques that flooded my system with foreign chakra and made me queasy. Worst of all, they didn't let me leave when they were done. I was stuck in a room where the white walls and creamy curtains and the overwhelming scent of sterilizer made me very aware that I was in the hospital. What had become of my poor little students was beyond me, and I was already chalking our first day as a team up to a failure.

I sat up from my bed, stiff and sore. I popped my back with a grunt, rubbing some muscles loose. I did not feel as if I had been injured severely. In fact, I felt as if a little stretch and some water would do me more good than anything, but I had to wonder: what exactly had happened?

I thought about it and it came back very distinct. It was Neji's face, right after he had struck a paralyzing blow.

I felt something cold and hard drop in my stomach. A strike like that could have had a single intent. It was frightening to know that a young boy could possess that kind of power, but it was even more frightening that he would use it so easily. Perhaps… Kakashi had not been exaggerating. Perhaps those children were not victims of suicide, rather than… just victims.

Yet the longer I thought of that face- that face that looked down on me having struck with killing intent- I began to question myself even more. I could not place the exact emotion I had seen. Sadness… hopelessness… loss…? I was not sure, but I was sure that it was not the emotions of a killer. In fact, it was the only sign of humanity I had seen in him and it had stuck so vividly in my mind, I was sure it was an omen of some sort. It had to be. One did not get lingering feelings like this by chance.

There was a knock on the door. I glanced over and immediately spotted the cheerful masked face of my rival. "Good afternoon, Gai. Feeling better?"

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, I'm alright."

"Oh good. You must be starving. Here!" Kakashi dropped a basket in my lap. "Have a muffin!"

I glanced between the overflowing muffin basket and my rival several times before I asked, "Why?"

"Oh, no reason," Kakashi sighed, sitting down in a chair. "I just thought it would make you feel better after having your ass handed to you by a twelve-year-old."

I scowled, realizing that they were sarcasm muffins. "Ha ha, Kakashi. Very funny."

Kakashi laughed, a soft little bark in his chest. "Y'know, Gai, I was kidding when I told you all those stories about that kid. I thought it was all Academy rumors, but I'll be damned now that all of it's actually true!"

"Shut up, Kakashi. It was an accident."

Kakashi nodded in sympathy. "Oh, of course, Gai. I mean sometimes I try and gently stop someone's heart, too. Never really works out for me, but hey. Let the kid try."

"Kakashi, quit it. He didn't mean it."

Kakashi raised a sarcastic eyebrow, his grin disappearing underneath his mask. "Obviously."

"Look, Kakashi, I'm having a rough day, alright? If you're here to make it worse, I'm going to punch you in the face."

Kakashi was quiet for a moment. He tilted his head. "Is there something else? Y'know, obviously besides the fact that you were gentle-fisted into the hospital?"

Of course there was more to the story, the hip bastard. Kakashi could always tell and it pissed me off. I scowled. "Are you sincerely asking or are you looking for ammo?"

"Bit of both."

I glared.

Kakashi raised his hands disarmingly. "I'm just kidding. Sincerely asking, Gai."

My frown deepened and I looked away, murmuring, "It's this kid."

"I told you."

"It's not that, Kakashi. Yeah, the kid scares the living daylights out of me- Thanks for that. - but…" I paused, trying to figure out how I could possibly explain my feelings. I was not even sure what I was feeling. How could I explain something I did not even know? I ventured out carefully, saying, "It's kind of like… an urge."

Kakashi leaned back, giving me an odd, apprehensive look. "What kind of 'urge'?"

"Well, I didn't feel it at first, but right before I headed over here, I saw him looking at me. I'm not sure, but I think he looked… disappointed."

"That he missed."

"No, Kakashi. More like he was disappointed. In… me. Like he expected more!"

Kakashi looked at me like he was just not following. "So… you think you failed him?"

"Kakashi, he put me in the hospital. It's pretty much obvious I failed him, but… well, it's almost like… like…" The words just would not come to me. I looked away again, closing my eyes and picturing my last memory one more time. That look in those eyes, that expression. That sudden, brief flash of vulnerability. I opened my eyes and turned back to Kakashi. "I want to protect him."

Kakashi visibly pulled back. "Protect him? From what?"

"I don't know! I want to take care of him!" I pause, then asked quickly. "Is that weird?!"

"Considering he just put you in the hospital? Yes."

I huffed indignantly. "He's a Hyuuga!"

"He's twelve."

The disgusting pity in Kakashi's voice made my blood boil. I scowled. "You just don't get it, Kakashi! You didn't see it! There's something wrong. I just know it."

"Ooh! There's something rotten in the state of Konoha!" Kakashi teased, wiggling his fingers at me. He stared at me for awhile, before his face softened into an expression of concern. "Gai, you barely know this kid. He could just be a bratty kid with too much power. We all know kids like that. Some of us were those kids."

"I know, I know. It… I just can't get over it."

"It just happened."

"I know…"

Kakashi frowned. "You want my advice, Gai?"

I sighed, turning back to my rival. "God, I'd be grateful. I don't know what I'm doing. This kid hates me!"

Kakashi's face was dead serious as his good eye narrowed in warning. "Don't get too involved with this kid, Gai. Relations with the Hyuuga are treacherous waters to be threading. You know as well as anyone that they may be part of Konoha, but their system works far above ours. If you get wound up in this kid, you're going to find yourself dragged into political warfare and the Hyuuga are notorious for fighting dirty."

I wanted to believe more than anything that Kakashi was trying to scare me again, but somehow I knew what he said was true and that bothered me more than any horror stories. I nodded solemnly. "I'll try, but I-"

_**BANG!** _

_"Gai!"_

I coughed hard, waving the smoke out of the air. "Wha-?! Ningame?! What- what  _happened_  to you?!"

My beloved summon looked awful. He was covered in soot and paint and several sharp weapons were embedded in his shell. His scaly skin had bruises and the forehead protector around his neck was torn and lopsided and above all, he looked pissed.

"Your little brats are what happened to me!" he roared, stumping towards me. He turned on Kakashi. "What the hell is your problem, summoning me to watch those little demons?"

"Summon-? Wat-? I didn't-!"

"Uh…" Kakashi rolled his eyes and reached back to scratch his neck. "Well… I _may_  have gotten contacted to take over for a little bit, and I  _may_ have used the emergency summoning scroll you gave me to pawn it off on Ningame."

"What?! _Rival!"_

"Now, now, Gai. Everything was under control! Or… it should have been. I didn't leave Ningame all by himself. I left a couple of my ninken with him! Hold on," Kakashi slit his finger on a shuriken, made a fast set of hand signs and place his hand on the ground. Instantly there was a white puff of smoke and three dogs were sitting in the middle of my hospital room. They looked around expectantly, saw Ningame and immediately looked extremely guilty. They tucked their tails between their legs and made to go behind Kakashi, only to quail under his gaze, too.

"Bisuke. Akino. Guruko." Kakashi's voice was stern. "What happened?"

Akino and Guruko shifted, pushing Bisuke up as an elected scapegoat. The tan colored dog seemed to swallow nervously. "Uh… we tried, really! They were too much for us!"

"Like hell they were!" Ningame snapped viciously. "You three were bought out with cookies and belly rubs!"

"That Lee kid was good at it!" Guruko barked back, only to catch his master's bitter gaze. "It's not my fault! He scratched my ears and next thing I know I'm on my back and he got that spot and my leg went all crazy and-" Realizing his explanation was getting him nowhere, Guruko dropped his head. "Sorry, boss. I don't know what happened."

Ningame glared daggers at them. "I'll tell you what happened! While you three were off chasing a ball that didn't even exist, I was being tortured and maimed by those evil little monsters!"

I could not even believe three children could have done all this to my brave summon. "Oh come now, Ningame. It couldn't have been that bad! They're just kids."

"That bad?! Gai, those aren't kids. They're demons! They attacked me with sharp objects, verbally abused me, climbed all over me and they flipped me over and spun me around!"

I frowned. "Well, did you lay down the law?"

"Gai, I'm a _tortoise!_ What the hell am I supposed to do? Every time I tried to punish them, they walked out of my range!"

As if to make things worse, Kakashi leaned over and pulled a sticky note off Ningame's shell. He squinted to read it out loud: "I'm lazy."

Ningame stared at him, then whirled back around to glare at me. "Y'see that? _Y'see that?_  Now everyone thinks I'm lazy!"

I rubbed my neck awkwardly. "Well… uh… was it any one in particular?"

"No! The twits ganged up on me! They flipped me over! I was stuck there for twenty minutes!" Ningame puffed himself up in fury. "Gai, I don't want to be summoned back here to watch your nasty children again until you teach them some respect! In fact, don't summon me to watch them ever!"

Akino suddenly looked around at everyone with an incredulous look in his eyes. "Wait, the ball didn't exist?"

Kakashi shushed him.

Ningame huffed angrily. "I refuse to watch your demon spawn again! I've got paint in places I can't even reach!"

"Well, that's not saying much…"

Ningame shot a vicious glare at Bisuke, who shrunk back.

"I'll be back tomorrow, Ningame, and I'll address it," I assured my precious, abused summon. "I'm so, so sorry."

"You better be," With that said, Ningame transported himself out in a cloud of white smoke. I stared at where he had stood for a while, then turned to Kakashi.

He shrugged with a sheepish grin. "Hey, at least they're working together, right? That's good."

I shrugged, too. "Yeah… that's promising. Kakashi?"

"Yeah?"

"We need to talk about how you handle responsibility."

"We really don't."


	4. Fed Up! Student No More!

The next day- despite nurses and doctors trying to advise me otherwise- I returned to training as I had promised. I expected to come back to impatient, yet eager students ready to pick up where we left off. Yet when I arrived, the tension between them could have been cut with a knife. Even Lee and Tenten- who I had thought would be friends by now- could not stand each other.

I could not fathom what could have possibly happened in the time I was gone, especially since my unfortunate summon made it so clear they had been working together not one day before. I could not get them to say more than two words to each other and when I could, it quickly became an argument which would escalate immediately into physical fighting. I found myself spending more time pulling them apart than I did teaching them.

It was when training broke out into a three-way free-for-all that I could not take it anymore. I forcefully sat all three of them down with solid strikes and the outburst had caught them just enough off-guard to make them stay. I glared sternly down at them, hands firmly on my hips. "Alright, I don't know what's going on, but this ends now! What is the matter with you? You're teammates! I expect you to start acting like it!"

"No!" Tenten shouted angrily. "I can't work with either of these  _guys_ , both of which think they're more capable than I am!"

"I am trying to help you!" Lee snapped. "At least I am trying to be friends, unlike you! Both of you are only interested in yourselves!"

"Help? From  _you?_  That's funny! I don't need  _your_  help!"

"You do not need anybody, do you?!"

_"Enough!"_

My students fell quiet. I looked around at them without a word. I could see the bitterness in their eyes, but more so, I could see that ever-present desire to be great. It hurt my heart more than it should have. That desire was so important, yet it was tearing them apart. If I could just get them to see that they would be great if they only-

I hardened my face. "Get up."

They all just sat there like they hadn't understood me.

_"Get up!"_

They got to their feet. I did not speak to them, just started walking. I felt them hesitate, but one by one, they trailed after me. I lead them out of our training field and headed towards the third. The journey was so full of tension, it was suffocating. The guilt my students were feeling was almost manifesting itself as a real force, pressing down on us as we walked. When I deviated from our path, my students followed behind at an apprehensive distance. The air of guilt turned to a nervous reverence as the trees began to thin out and we reached a clearing. In the middle stood a single slab of marble.

I stepped up to the stone, turning when my students did not follow me. I gestured them in and slowly, they wandered inside. I waited a moment, letting them take in their surroundings before I asked, "Who knows where we are?"

For a moment, none of them answered. Then, hesitantly, Tenten whispered, "A memorial?"

I nodded. "For who?"

Tenten looked around, glancing at the stone. Her eyes flickered over the names carved into the surface. She looked like she was about to say something, but shook her head and shrugged.

"This stone shows the names of every shinobi that has been killed in the line of duty. As you can see, there are many… many names." I glanced around my team, who had fallen into a dead silence. "Why do you think I brought you here?"

It was a long time before Lee answered: "You… do not want us to end up here?"

His words struck my heart like an arrow, though that was precisely the answer I wanted. I turned back towards the stone, picking out the names- friends, family, comrades- that I had been looking at for years and years. "Your greatest defense against death on the field are your allies. Who you trust and who trusts you. You three… will be each others' most precious and irreplaceable allies. You will go on more missions and learn more about each other than you will with anyone else. Eventually, you will become each others' strengths and flaws and your teamwork will become invaluable to yourselves and your village."

I glanced at them out of the corner of my eye. They were all staring at the memorial. "We do not put you on teams because it is convenient. You are not on this team until you pass on to chunin or jounin or however far you go. You are on this team for life." I turned to face them fully. "And how long that will be depends on how much you learn to care about each other."

That seemed to drive home the point. A moment of silence passed as the words sank in. Then- slowly- Tenten and Lee's eyes met and they quietly exchanged apologies. Their eyes moved over. I followed them and found Neji still staring at the memorial in front of him. His eyes were shifting slowly over the stone face, reading each of the engraved names one by one. Then, his mouth moved and I believed for a split second he was going to say something. Instead, his head twisted and he spit viciously on the final names.

It felt like a slap in the face. I heard Tenten and Lee gasp as Neji turned sharply on his heel and left without a single word. I did not follow him. I could not follow him. My entire body had gone numb. I was… horrified. How…? How had…? How _dare…!_

I felt someone tugging at my sleeve. "G… Gai-sensei?"

I carefully freed my arm from Lee's nervous hand, but my eyes never left the spot where Neji's back had disappeared into the forest. I absently pushed him away, silently gesturing for both him and Tenten to stay behind. I went after Neji. When I saw him again, I felt righteous anger start in my chest, building up in my throat the closer I got. By the time I reached him I was furious, seizing his shoulder and spinning him around. "What is wrong with you?!"

Neji struck my hand away with such force, it went numb. "Shut up."

Such insolence! I grabbed his arm, yanking him back. "No! You will explain your actions!"

Neji twisted in my grasp. "I don't have to explain myself to you."

"I'm your teacher!"

"No, you aren't."

I struck Neji with such force it made him stagger. The sound of the impact echoed among the trees. There was a moment of dead silence, in which I thought I had seriously hurt him. Then, he turned his head back and those deathly white eyes met mine.

"What makes those men heroes?" His voice was so calm and quiet it made my skin crawl. "What makes _them_ so worth remembering?"

My anger vanished under a sudden, uneasy fear. I set a strong face, even as those blank eyes burned into me. "They died for their village-"

"-In the turmoil of war. How many of them were sent to their deaths to prevent it? How many died in silence and dishonor to protect the elite few, sensei?"

"Neji, that-" It all came crashing down with a single, horrible realization. The Hyuuga Affair…

Neji saw the recognition in my eyes, for those blank eyes narrowed viciously. "If my father wasn't a hero, no one was. He died so that this village could skirt war, so that the Hyuuga clan would still have a leader in the main branch. Where were _his_ friends? _His_ allies? Where was his family when he was sentenced to death? They were  _planning it._  Murdered him in secret to save face in the light of treachery. How does that fit into your precious teamwork speech, sensei?"

"N-Neji…"

"Precisely," Neji yanked his arm free from my nerveless hand. Those eyes were burning. "There is no 'team'. There is the village and then there are pawns; those destined to die in glory and those that will be sacrificed in silence. For a ' _greater'_ cause."

I could only watch in horrified silence as Neji turned around and walked away, without another word. What else was there to say? What could I say? What could I do? How could I ever explain… justify… tell him that…

From that day on, relations between Neji and I were tense. Neji excelled without my help, mastering in minutes what I would spend days trying to teach Tenten or Lee. I pitted him against his teammates often, yet he never lost. He was cruel and efficient, but they were not afraid of him… like I was. I did not fight him for anything and left him to do as he pleased, so much that if he came to training at all, it was a miracle.

Eventually, I began to assume this was how it would be. Though that one look of humanity- that one vulnerable moment- was burned into my mind and onto my heart, Neji simply did not need me. Not to teach him, not to guide him, not to protect him… not anything. It was just for the best.

That was what I was thinking after training one day, when Neji cornered me between sparring dummies. There was sweat on his skin and though he looked tired, he was determined. "Sensei."

This was the first time that Neji had actually gone out of his way to speak to me. I felt my nerves tighten apprehensively. "Yes?"

"I will not come to training anymore."

The statement was plain and straightforward, as if there would be no debate. "What? Why?"

Neji scowled. "It's obvious you have nothing to offer me, sensei. I am not going to waste my time."

"Neji, that's not true-"

"No? Then tell me, sensei: why have you blatantly refused to teach me? It seems you're eager to find and improve upon those other two idiots' flaws."

I stuttered. "W-well, I… I haven't noticed-"

"No? So you haven't noticed I'm weak in straight taijutsu? You've simply haven't caught how horridly subpar my defense is? You assume I keep my feet firmly on the ground because I enjoy it rather than because I have four ridiculously obvious stances?" Those eyes narrowed. "Do not try and deceive me, Gai. I am no fool. You've purposefully overlooked everything. Am I wrong?"

"Neji-"

 _"Am I?"_  Neji snapped suddenly. He paused for a moment, just glaring at me. Then, he went on in a cruel whisper. "I will not play enemy to my weaker teammates. I will not spend my time fighting them to make them stronger. I am not going to be the one you pit them against to test your pathetic teachings."

"Neji, that's not what I'm doing. I am trying to teach you."

"Exactly what are you trying to teach me? I have been in your instruction for well over two months and have learned nothing. Lee has learned something and he's an absolute imbecile."

My heart jumped when he mentioned Lee.

He frowned deeply. "He's the reason, isn't he? You are scared that if I get any stronger, your precious pet will never catch up."

"Neji! That's not it!"

"Than what is it, sensei? Why won't you teach me?"

"Neji, I… Neji, you're just so clever-"

_"I don't need you to tell me I'm smart!"_

The explosive outburst made me jump. Neji suddenly advanced on me, his voice like the spark of a fuse. "My intelligence is not an excuse. Do you honestly think I need  _you_  to tell me how talented I am? How clever I am? I  _know_  that. That's what I've been told my whole life. It's  _all_  I've been told."

The dead silence rolled over us like heavy smoke. Those cold eyes narrowed again and Nej drew back. The emotions on his face vanished. "And it will always be this way. If I am to teach myself, than so be it. I don't need you or this 'team'."

I was struck dumb. I could not speak, could not move, even as he stood in front of me in silence. When I did not say anything, he just turned around… and walked away. I could not make myself go after him. What he had said was true. Everything was true. He had seen… he had predicted… and everyone had done it…

Then- as I saw Neji's back reach the gates- I had the sudden, stabbing realization that this would be the last time I saw him. My heart stopped and I panicked. I ran, grabbing him before he could leave. I turned him back around, clamped my hands on his shoulders desperately.  _"Neji!"_

He did not shove me away. He did not even speak. He just looked at me, expectantly.

I felt my knees get weak and I fell to his level. "Neji, I don't know how to teach you. I know what you need and I know I can help you, but… I don't even know how to interact with you. You are so different from me…"

Neji remained silent. He just looked down at me, with those cold, emotionless eyes. I felt so helpless. How stupid I must have looked. I felt the tears well up. "I've made a tragic mistake, Neji, one you've obviously seen before. I want to help you, I… I want to be there, believe me! I have failed you as your teacher and I'm sorry!"

If my words had any affect, he did not show it. I could see myself in those white eyes; see just how pathetic I looked. I could not fathom what he saw in me, whether what I said meant anything to him. I could have died looking at what I had been reduced to…

I looked away.

There was a long and oppressive silence. I let my hands slide from Nej's arms, releasing him, knowing that what I had said meant nothing. Yet, I could feel those eyes and I felt as if I were receiving my final judgement. The pressure was real, pressing down on my lungs and my heart, making my head swim and my chest tight-

"Your gilded words are pretty, Gai."

I dared to look up into the face of my assessor. Those white eyes were fathomless, as if they were looking at more than my physical being. "This world values action. Your words mean nothing."

"Then let me act!" The words burst out of my mouth before I could think. I set my jaw. "I will make this up to you. I will learn to teach you and I will succeed or I will never teach again! That's a promise!"

Neji stared at me for a long time, as if he were weaving the promise into a prophecy. Then he stated quietly, "You will regret hasty promises one day."

With that, Neji turned around and left.


	5. Gai Gets Serious

I do not break promises.

When Neji arrived at training the next day, I knew he planned to hold me accountable for my words and I did my best to do the same. I made a valiant effort to see mistakes where I saw perfection and- slowly but surely- I began to notice the weaknesses that Neji had spoken about. I tried my best to correct them, while still remaining hesitant to push my instruction- for risk of further impeding our budding relationship. Yet I was surprised when Neji did not spurn my advances, my suggestions, my tips or even my requests for one-on-one instruction. Eventually, I found myself openly criticizing what had turned out to be an extremely flawed fighting style with no consequences. Whether it was what he knew about me or what I now knew about him, I began to feel the slightest bit of connection and for that I was grateful.

Yet he still skipped training.

Often.

It was after the fifth or sixth time that I decided enough was enough. If I was going to get serious, so was he. I told Tenten and Lee to stay behind and practice on their own, assuring them confidently that sensei would be right back with their teammate. With that, I went in search of my truant student. After checking the obvious spots- the library, several cafes, the like- I checked his house. The Hokage had given me his address for emergencies (which this clearly qualified as) and the Hyuuga clan was aware enough of my position that they did not kill me as soon as I stepped in the doorway. They just watched me intently from every corner as I marched over to Neji's door. I knocked firmly. "Neji!"

There was nothing but silence.

I scowled. "I know you're in there!"

The door opened and Neji stepped into the doorway. He looked a little surprised, but otherwise unconcerned. "Yes?"

'Yes' he said. "Neji, where are you supposed to be right now?"

"Where are _you_ supposed to be?"

"Don't get smart. Let's go. You're going to training."

"No."

I frowned firmly. "You're required to be there. Let's go."

Neji crossed his arms. "No."

The disregard for my authority got under my skin farther than I thought. It made my blood boil. It made my heart race. I wanted to grab him and drag him to training, but I put a smile on my face. He wasn't getting a reaction out of me. "It isn't a suggestion, my student. Come on now."

Neji cocked an eyebrow at me.

I lunged for him, missing by a mere centimeter as he skittered out of my reach. I went after him, snatching at thin air as he twisted away from my hands. I tried to corner him, but he slipped just out of my fingers and dodged under my arms, zipping out the door. I hurtled after him, refusing to let him out of my sights. I knew I was faster than him, that I could outrun him if I had to. Neji must have known, as well, because his path became twisted and jerky. That was when I realized that he could turn faster than I could and that flat out chasing him would get me nowhere. If I wanted to catch him, I would have to anticipate his every move.

I managed to pin him down in a straight stretch of hallway, too narrow to dart around in. I sprinted to catch him in a mere fifteen feet, but Neji had other ideas. He shot the railing and swung himself up onto the roof. I heard his footsteps running in the opposite direction and I threw myself back. I charged forward, overtaking the pitter of his feet and jumping the railing, vaulting onto the roof in front of him. He turned on his heel, diving under my hands and across the roof. I could hear the shocked murmurs of the Hyuuga below me as they heard my feet pounding over their heads. I could hear the beginnings of gossip and became even more intent on capturing my student.

Unfortunately, Neji knew every exit in the Hyuuga manor and escaped out into Konoha, hoping to lose me in the morning crowds. I ground my teeth, changing tactics. I climbed into a tree and searched him out, spotting and following him with my eyes. If he wanted this to be serious, fine. I could do serious. I reached into my weapons pouch, feeling around until I came up with a pair of rarely used handcuffs. I watched as he headed down a familiar road and I saw the spot where I could trap him.

Flipping the cuffs in my hand, I sprung into action. I cut into a dead sprint to catch up, coming up fast behind him and making the final mad dash to grab his shirt-

He twisted away, turning exactly where I wanted him to and skidding to a sudden halt in front of a dead end. Triumphantly, I made a sliding turn and took a powerful leap to tackle my slippery student to the ground. I grabbed hold of his arms before he could squirm out from under me, snapping the handcuffs across his wrists. I grabbed hold of the chain and pulled him up with a grin. "Ha ha! Gotcha!"

Neji glared at me. I could see a thin scratch dripping blood down his temple. Those eyes were burning with indignant fury and I was secretly thankful his hands were incapacitated.

I gave him a wink and a smile. "That was fun, but game's over, my student! You're going to training!"

Neji clenched his teeth.

Neji slammed his foot into my shin, snapping his elbow up to meet my face. I saw white and lost my grip on his handcuffs. Blinded, I felt Neji's foot slam into my face and stars exploded in front of my eyes. I fell backwards, my hands instinctively coming up to my throbbing nose. I jerked my hands away from my face, just in time to see Neji pull his arms under his legs and dash past me, disappearing around the corner.

I chuckled, shaking the stars from my vision. I could feel blood dripping down my lip, but I did not care. This was personal now. He would be at training today if it killed either of us. I stood up and wiped the blood from my face. Neji would be aiming to remove those handcuffs and that would require time. I had that time- that time where he would be most hindered- to find and capture him.

I darted out of the alleyway, searching for evidence. I found the tiny drops of blood from Neji's injury, few and far between, but enough to direct me. I followed them quietly to an open industrial storage shed, where I could barely hear panting and the scratch of metal on metal. I stepped inside, blocking the only exit. My eyes slid around meticulously, but I could not see him. I could not sense his chakra (though I rarely could), but I knew he was there. I had heard him. He may have quieted his breathing and may have become completely motionless, but he could only keep it up so long. His muscles would be right with excitement. He was out of breath. He could not hold out forever. I had him trapped.

I waited impatiently, itching to find him. He held out longer than I expected. I watched the shadows in the shed become short as the sun began to fully rise. I grew frustrated, but I knew that this was the best chance I had. There was one exit and little room to maneuver in. If I could wait him out, I could get him. I shifted my stance, sliding my eyes over the many nooks and crannies, scanning for any sort of movement-

Then I heard the tiny sound of metal on metal, the telltale click of a freed lock.

Neji bolted out from behind several large wooden pallets, charging straight for me and ducking to get under my feet. I crouched to grab him, but he jumped at the last second. He used my shoulders as a springboard, forcing me down and knocking me off balance. I quickly righted myself, giving chase. He was good, I would give him that, but those handcuffs were still slung around his wrist. He would have a hell of a time trying to hide, something I would have to count on as he made a twist towards the main street of Konoha.

I gritted my teeth and charged after him. I could not let him make it into the midday rush! I lunged at the last possible moment, seizing the back of his shirt and bringing him down with an explosion of white smoke.

Then I was holding nothing.

_"DAMN IT!"_

I got several surprised and offended stares, but I snapped back around for the shed. I arrived and immediately saw the metal handcuffs lying in the dirt.

_"Agh!"_

It was like he was rubbing it in! How could I have been so stupid? Clones were staple Academy fare! I should have known! I did not have time to beat myself up though. While it was impressive that Neji could hide his chakra signature at his age, even he could not hide it right after using a technique. I would have at least three minutes, more if he could not concentrate.

I took a deep breath, calming myself and locating the unique signature. Neji's efficiency made the trail weak, but it obviously backtracked from where I had chased him. I followed it, feeling it growing stronger and stronger until suddenly it disappeared completely. I looked up and into a pair of white eyes.

"There you are."

Neji sprung out of the tree like a squirrel, landing on the edge of the fence and flipping over it. I was after him immediately and stayed close on his heels. Even if I could not catch him, I could outlast him. All I had to do was exhaust him and I would win. I lost him a few times and it took precious time to track him down again, but every time I spotted him again, he looked more and more tired. My plan was working, even as Neji kept running. As noon approached, I grew more and more confident in my imminent success. Hunger was no big deal for me and my second wind would come stronger than my first, but Neji was twelve. I had to count on lack of experience to crush Neji's will.

Finally, I herded him into a dead end- that same dead end as before- and cornered him. As he came to a stop, I made a final lunge and seized his arm much harder than I meant to, considering that he did not pull away or even flinch when it happened. I stood there in silence for a moment. Then, I glanced between my hand and my tired student.

Neji frowned, his narrow chest heaving. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"You got me. Now what?"

I did not answer immediately. I caught my breath, trying to remember why I was after him. Then I remembered. "Well! Now you're going to training!"

"What? For the next three hours? You've been at this all day."

"Yes! For the next three hours! Or more, since you think you're being clever."

He glared at me.

I rolled my eyes with a sigh. I let him go. I flopped down on the ground and put my back against the wall. I closed my eyes and patted the ground next to me. "Sit down, kiddo. Tell me what this was all about."

There was a moment where neither of us moved, before Neji sat down beside me. He did not say anything for a while and I did not say anything either. I guess there was not much to say. All there was to do was catch our breath.

"Your methods are new to me."

I opened one eye to glance at Neji. This was one of the first times he had deliberately broken silence. "Huh?"

"I said your methods are new to me."

"What do you mean?"

"I've never been attacked by a teacher before."

I scoffed lightly. The idea sounded ridiculous, but I guess he wasn't... wrong. "It's effective."

"It's relative."

"Hm…" My jokes never passed. I paused for a moment before commenting again, "I will give you this much, Neji. That was much more fun than running laps, but does not excuse you from actual training."

"I didn't think it would."

I sighed. I let it hang on the air for a minute, before I turned my head to him again. "Are you testing me?"

"How do you mean?"

"I don't know. Are you testing my resolve? My promise?" I shrugged and held up my hands. "My patience?"

Neji stared at me out of the corner of his eyes. Then he looked away. "No."

"Well, it feels like you are. If there's something you don't like about coming to training, just talk to me. We're both adults here."

Neji turned to me with a cock of his eyebrow.

"Okay,  _I'm_ an adult, and you've got a big vocabulary. Just... use your words, kiddo. What's wrong? Haven't I been doing what I told you I would?"

"Yes."

"But?"

Neji did not respond right away. He averted his gaze just for a moment, then looked back at me. "Sensei, did you notice anything when you came to get me?"

"I noticed I had to come get you. Is there something else?"

He turned his eyes away from me. "No."

"Are you sure? It's just you and me."

"Yes."

I sighed and popped my back with a deep stretch. I shook my arms a little and flexed my legs. "Alright, kiddo. It's been a long morning, how about a compromise? We'll take a run back to the training grounds, round up the team, then go to lunch. My treat. See what happens after that."

Neji stared at me, unamused. Then, he rolled those white eyes with a huff. "Fine."

"And then you come to training from now on."

"Don't push it."

"Neji."

Those eyes rolled again.

I frowned at him, intent on getting the appropriate answer.

He stared at me for a long time, looking exhausted and annoyed with me, though I could not tell which was stronger. Finally, he stated sharply, "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"Fair enough." I got up with a grunt, brushing off my legs. I looked up at the sky, estimating the time. "I think we can get back in ten minutes. Care to make a wager? Winner picks the restaurant?"

Neji stared at me from the corner of his eye. He stood up and straightened his clothes. "Twenty."

"Oh, absolutely not. I hope you like curry udon, my student!"


End file.
